CAUGHT IN THE MIX

Clark Anderson is a senior at Hampton University when she meets sophomore Devin Patterson. Supposedly savvy, Clark whines with self-doubt when, after two years, she has yet to meet Devin's parents. Devin vacillates between maturity and insecurity when contemplating if Clark is worth the stress.

While the ups and downs between Clark and Devin over a four-year period are interesting, two secondary characters are more engaging: Clark's older brother, Reggie, and her best friend, Tanisha, who have two children but haven't married. Dow tells much of Clark's life, whereas she shows more of how Tanisha's character develops.

The prologue entices readers to dive eagerly into its pages, and the ending redeems Dow's novel from predictability. But, the first-person point of view serves well only until what Clark and Devin do and say becomes repetitive, in this pleasant read. (May, 320 pp., $6.99)

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July Ratings

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